Valentine’s Day Gift Bags to go to troops at BIA

With her husband now retired after 30 years in the military, Arline Smith of Roque Bluffs holds our servicemen and servicewomen dear to her heart, which is what woke Smith up in the middle of a recent night, wondering what she could do for our troops for Valentine’s Day.

Her idea became a Support Our Troops Valentine’s Gift Bag, which is available for $4.

The package has “a small patriotic tin which contains a glass candle holder and votive candle, and a small package of Hershey kisses,” Smith said of the gift bag, which is “tied with a yellow ribbon to show support” for American troops.

The Valentine’s Gift Bags you purchase will be taken the week before Valentine’s Day to Bangor International Airport, where they will be distributed to arriving and departing troops who make a stopover at BIA.

The bags can be obtained by visiting or writing Down East Community Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop, 11 Hospital Drive, Machias 04654, or call the shop at 255-0487.

Each gift bag also contains a printed saying: “Seal the Candle of Hope with a Kiss.”

Smith explained that the saying means that “we have all burned the candle way too long, and it’s time for our troops to come home, but we may have to burn the candle a little longer but let’s HOPE to seal it soon.”

Smith’s goal is to be able to have a minimum of 500 Valentine’s Gift Bags available for our troops passing through BIA.

That event is 5-7 p.m. Feb. 11, at River School in the Belfast Center, 9 Field St. The snow date is Feb. 12.

This event “focuses on gifts and services that people can give as Valentine’s Day gifts, or that they can just enjoy for themselves,” Carl wrote of items ranging from massage sessions to schooner sail trips.

If you can donate an item or service, call 338-0100 or e-mail rschool2@roadrunner.com.